Reversing-gear



- 2 Sheets-i-Sh eet 1. J. F. M. WOODS.

REVERSING GEAR. v

Patented May 17, 1892.

(No Model.)

2Shets-Sheet 2'.

(No Model.)

J. P. woons. RBVERSING GEAR. No. 475,026. Patented May 17,1892,

- the left.

NITED STATES JOHN F. M. \VOODS, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

REVERSlNG-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,026, dated May 17,1892. Application filed November 16, 1891. Serial No. 412,083. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F.'M. \VOODS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oakland, Alameda county, State of California, have inventedan Improvement in Reversing- Gears; and I hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to the class of steamengines, and especially to theclass of reversing devices therefor.

My invention consists, essentially, in a cvlindrical valve-seat adaptedto be oscillated and provided with suitable ports so arranged that byits oscillations they shall be brought into changed relations with theports of the Valve and cylinder to effect the reversal of the engine.

My invention also consists in the valve-seat, with its novel ports,hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to simplify the reversing mechanism of anengine by dispensing with all link motion and also dispensing with oneof the eccentrics usually employed to effect the reversal by reversingthe valve itself.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section showing thevalve-seat arranged to take steam on Fig. 2 is a similar section showingthe valve seat arranged to take steam on the right. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal vertical section through the valve-chest, showing thelefthand half of the valve-seat.

A is the cylinder of an engine, having the valve chest B and the steamand exhaust ports are. Within the cylinder is the piston O. In thevalve-chest is an oscillating or rotary valve D of any usual or commonpattern, the valve here shown havingthe steam-passage d and theexhaust-port d.

E is the steam-inlet pipe to the valve. Between the valve and thevalve-chest is located my valveseat, (designated generally by the letterF.) This seat consists of a hollow shell or cylinder, its outer surfacefitting within the valve-chest and confined therein by suitable eudheads Gand adapted to be oscillated through the seat.

by a suitable mechanism, as by means of the reversing-lever H, connectedwith one end of it, as shown.

Within the hollow of the valve-seat the valve D is located and isoscillated by suitable'connections from a single eccentric. (Notnecessary herein to show.)

The valve-seat is to be provided with any arrangement of ports whichcontrol the communication of the ports of the valve with the ports ofthe cylinder and which, by the oscillation of said seat, .will changethis communication when desired to reverse the engine. This is theprinciple of my invention, and by it I am enabled to effect the reversalof the engine while still continuing the oscillation of the valve inexactly the same way. I thus dispense with one of the eccentrics usuallyemployed to eifect the reversal by changing the movement of direction ofthe valve itself,

and I am also enabled to'dispense with all link motion. 7

The particular arrangement of ports in my valve-seat is as follows: Ithas a main portf. This passes through the valve-seat from the outside tothe inside, and it is long enough to I be always in communication withthe steaminlet E, no matter to what position the seat may be turned toefiect the reversal. f is an inlet-port made through the valve-seat, andf is an exhaust-port, also made completely Lying between these two portsis a port) and a port f. The former port opens through the valve-seatand also opens sidewise into a passagef which is a branched one, passingaround each end of the seat and joining in a portf, which opens to theoutside of the valve-seat. The port f opens to the outside of thevalve-seat and also opens into branch passages f around each end of thevalve, which said passages join in a port f opening to the inside of thevalveseat.

The operation of these parts is as follows: If we suppose the cylinderto be taking steam at the left-hand end and exhausting from the otherend, the positions of the valve-seatand valve are shown in Fig. 1, inwhich it will be seen thatthe main port f communicates with inlet E andthe port f is in communication with the left-hand inlet-port a of thecylinder and also in communication with the inletpassage d of thevalve.The port f of: the

seat is in communication with the right-hand end port CL of the cylinderand is also in communication with the exhaust-port d of the valve, saidexhaust-port being in communication with the port f of the valve-seat,which is itself in communication with the exhaustport a of the cylinder.The passages) of the port f do not interfere with the exhaust, becausetheir end port f is at this time closed by the wall of the valve-chest.Now, if it be desired to reverse the engine the valve may be supposed tobe in the same position, as its oscillation is always the same; but thevalve-seat F is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2.v In thispositionv it will be seen that the main port f of the valve-seat isstill in communication with the inlet E. The inlet-passage (l. of thevalve is in communication with the port f of the valve-seat, the outerend; of said port being closed, consequently the steam has to pass fromsaid port f around through the passages f to the port f which is now'incommunication with the steam-port a at the right-hand end of thecylinder. The steainport a at the left-hand end of the cylinder is incommunication with the port f of the valve, and the steam exhausts fromsaid port through the passages f into the port f, the inner end of whichcommunicates with the exhaust-port d of the valve. The steam passes fromsaid port 61'" through the port f of the seat and out. th rough theexhaust-port a of the cylinder. Thus the cylinder takes steam andexhausts from ends opposite those from which it took steam and exhaustedin the first instance.

The valve-seat F is made slightly tapering, and at its smaller end fitsup snugly to the end head. At its larger end "it is. separated from thehead by a slight space, as shown at m. "lhrough this larger end of theseat is made a small hole f, leading from the inside to the space m.Now, when the steam is turned on it passes through hole f into space onanddrives the seat tightly to its place. Then when the steam is shut0,1? the pressure on the seat is relieved and it can be readily Iturnedto effect the reversal.

Having thus described my invention, what I scribed.

claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isu 1. In anengine, and in combination with its cylinder having its end inlet-portsand exhaust-port and an oscillatory valve, an oscillatory cylindricalvalve-seat in which the valve is mounted, having he. main port, thethrough ports, and the outwardly and inwardly openingports andconnecting-passages, said ports adapted by the movement of said seat tobe brought alternately into such relation with the valve-ports and thecylinder-portsas to reverse the engine, substantially as herein de- 2.In an engine, the oscillatory valve-seat for reversing the engine,consisting of the hollow shell or cylinder havingthemain port f, thethrough ports f, f and f, the outwardly-opening ports f and f th'einwardlyre g p ft the pa sages f onnecting the port f with the port f,and the passages f connecting, the ports f and f substantially as hereindescribed.

3. In a steam-engine, and, in combination with its cylinder having avalve-chest and inlet and exhaust ports and an oscillatory valve, anoscillatory valve-seat fitted in the valve-chest and carrying consistingof a hollow shell or cylinder provided with the main port f, the throughports f", f and f the outwardly-opening ports f and f, theinwardly-opening ports f the passages f connecting the port f with theport f, and the passages f connecting the ports f and f substantially asherein described.

4. In a steam-engine, and in combination with the valve-chest andoscillatory valve therein, the oscillatory cylindrical valve-seat insaid chest having suitable ports adapted by its movement to effect. thereversal of the engine, as described, and a hole f in one end to obtaina pressure in said seat to hold it, in

place and to relieve it of said pressure, substantially as hereindescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN F. M. WOODS.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, J. A. BAYLEss.

the valve, saidseat

